Commentaries of the Four Authorized Vaisnava Sampradayas

The Supreme Lord Krishna known as Parabrahma the source of the brahman or
spiritual substratum pervading all existence, is the light of all lights,
the illuminator of even the sun and the stars. He is shining, resplendently
effulgent all things shine from Him, by His light all creation is full of
light. Therefore Parabrahma is intouched by darkness and beyond all
nescience untouched by ignorance. The Svetasvatara Upanisad III.VII.
beginning veda hametam purusam meaning: The Supreme Lord shines more
brilliantly then the sun and by realising Him only one attains moksa or
liberation there is no other way to accomplish this. It is this knowledge
that is to manifest in the functions of the intellect regarding the 20
superlative virtues given in verses 8 to 12. It is also knowable in the
form of sound by OM the primordial sound frequency of the Supreme Lord. It
is also accessible through spiritual practices and easily attainable by
bhakti or exclusive loving devotion to the Supreme Lord. The discovery of
the atma or immortal soul within the etheric heart is being emphasised by
acquiring knowledge and performing appropriately for self- realisation.

Brahma Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Madhvacarya

Madhvacarya's Commentary

Since the Supreme Lord Krishna is achieved by experiencing spiritual
knowledge, He is understood to be the goal of all knowledge. Know the atma
or immortal soul by experiencing the atma. As the Supreme Lord is the
bestower of the atma and the atma is only knowable through Him then He is
the most worthy object of knowledge. If the Supreme Lord is knowable by
other means then the words He spoke earlier in verse 13 jneyam yat tat
meaning all that which is worth knowing would make this verse repetitive.
Now He affirms here the means to achieve what He revealed as the goal in
verse 13 negating any contradiction. The Supreme Lord knows Himself by His
Self alone. His knowing is not dependent on any external source outside of
Himself. In special cases He is able to be known by others as it is
possible to know Him by His desire and also by realization of the atma. But
only by His grace can this manifest and without His grace knowledge of Him
can never manifest. The Supreme Lord is self illuminated, He is self
contented and He is equal towards all. Therefore as He is the foremost of
all, He is the object of attainment for all and all jivas or embodied
beings should seek His grace for only by His grace can He be known.

Sri Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Ramanuja

Ramanuja's Commentary

Lights are those found in the sun, the stars, fire, gems, etc. The light of
these lights denotes that which illuminates all these or that by which they
are perceived denoting the light of consciousness by which all luminaries
such as the sun and the stars are seen to shine. As for human made lights
such as lamps, torches and the rest, they only dispel the darkness
intervening between the sense of sight and its object and their
illuminating power is limited to the sense perception of sight. But there
is no limitation with the light and sight of the atma once it has been
realised. The words tamasah param means beyond darkness referring to the
darkness of tamas or ignorance designating the subtle but limited
conditions of prakriti or the material substratum pervading physical
existence; but the atma or immortal soul being eternal is transcendental to
any conditions or limitations. The words jnanam jneyam means knowledge
worthy of being known comprehensible by the intellect and characterised by
consciousness. The words jnana gamyam means wisdom accessible through
knowledge or that wisdom gained from embodying and living the 20 virtues
given in verses 8 through 12 beginning with amanitvam or reverence. These
exalted virtues which constitute spiritual knowledge are the means to
achieve the wisdom of the atma. As the atma is situated within the heart of
all sentient beings, the Supreme Lord Krishna known as Parabrahma is hrdisarvasy dhisthitam situated in the heart of all sentient beings.

Kumara Vaisnava Sampradaya:

Nimbaditya

Kesava Kasmiri's Commentary

The Supreme Lord Krishna known as Parabrahma is the source of the brahman
or spiritual substratum pervading all existence. It is solely His
effulgence that illuminates all luminaries such as the sun, the stars,
lightning, jewels, etc. with light. These luminaries only dispel the
darkness hindering the vision between the eyes and their objects whereas
the knowledge of a mere spark of the Supreme Lord being the atma or
immortal soul illuminates all physical lights and without the atma
knowledge of illumination is not possible. That is why the atma is said to
be totally beyond the darkness of maya which is the deluding, external,
illusory potency of the Supreme Lord. The illusory nature of maya is ever
changing by nature whereas the atma is eternal and unchanging. The atma is
itself knowledge as well as the goal of all knowledge and is most worthy
of attaining by the acquisition of knowledge. The qualifications to obtain
this knowledge is found in the 20 excellent virtues expounded earlier in
verse 8 to 12 beginning with reverence, humility etc. which are in the
hearts of all human beings albeit dormant or active. The words
hrdisarvasya dhisthitam emphasises that the Supreme Lord Krishna is
specially situated in the etheric heart of all living entities.